The Beginning of an End
by Speak Your Mind
Summary: Amon and Robin once again run as fugitives... what will be the fate of the STNJ and its hunters and exhunters alike? What kind of relationship would Amon and Robin grow during their journey to the truth? ON HIATUS.
1. Realization

**A/N** Hey…this is my first ever WHR fanfic. I've recently seen the series from the DVD set I got from the library and fell in love with it this story is all about the life after the collapse of the Factory and mainly sets the viewpoints on Robin. Don't forget to write a review…it makes it so much easier for me to write my stories. Thanks!

P.S I kind of fast forwarded a bit on some parts, but it's not that big of a deal, hopefully.

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**WHR: The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter One: Realization_

The immense wreckage of what once was a proud Factory lay smoking and silent in the dark night, piles of cement walls stacked in a chaotic mess. All the government officials and the police authorities had left, and they hadn't given a single effort or attempt on finding the missing bodies.

Robin Sena sat up, holding her disheveled and aching head. She had been sheltered under a strayed segment of a roof although she had no idea how it got here when it did. All she could remember was a bright flash of light and the feeling of a blow on her head that seemed to throw her completely off her feet. She stood up feebly, afraid of what might lay before her eyes. She felt a chill of numbness down her spine as she stared at the giant and devastating sight. Surely, none of her friends could've survived this. And Amon- Robin had lost him again.

She took some staggering steps forward, coughing on the thick smoky air that seeped from the piles of collapse. She landed in the dark forest that acted like a giant moat to the Factory, and faced the long stretch of the black hidden road. Just hours ago Robin had been sitting in the passenger seat with Amon, who might as well be dead along with others. Robin couldn't bear the idea of standing there alone, alive, breathing.

_Touko_, she suddenly remembered the woman who was somewhat ignorant but served as a better guardian then Robin could've ever asked. Even though she was in a hectic state as she heard from Nagira…she might know what to do. _Somehow._ Robin wiped the tears from her ashy cheeks and set off on the gloomy road.

_Two weeks later_

Michael let out a tired yawn and leaned back on his chair. He lazily watched fuming Kosaka scurry past with a phone at his ear and a finger pointing at Doujima, who was deeply immersed in her magazines. Michael turned to face Karasuma, who was looking at the latest reports.

"Y'know Karasuma-san, do you think Robin and Amon are really alright? I mean, is it really O.K for us to move on like this?" He was the first one after days who brought the subject up. No one here really seemed to concern so much about it, so he had kept the question to himself.

"We can't afford to spend so much time on them. But if they're alive, I'm _sure _they'll do just fine," Miho Karasuma replied with a bitter smile. Michael shrugged and they both moved with their daily routines.

Everything at the STN-J had been pretty much chaotic, after Zaizen had disappeared at the collapse and was assumed dead. The new craft user was to arrive for a replacement before next month, which seemed to cause a lot of paper works and more and more of late-night workings. What Miho said seemed perfectly true for time's sake.

"I'm _sure _they're alive..." Michael muttered to himself under his breath, and Karasuma didn't bother to listen.


	2. Nuovo Inizio

**WHR: The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Two - Nuovo Inizio_

**A/N** This chapter is pretty short, so the next one should be a little longer. Keep the reviews going!

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The cold wintry wind swept through the very deserted side of Tokyo, sweeping the blackened snow on to the near-deserted sidewalks. Old run down apartments stood like tall empty pillars on the edges of snowy junctions.

A lean young woman strolled down the littered street, strands of blonde hair cascading under her black ski hat framing her chiseled face. Behind her pair of sunglasses, emerald green eyes shone like the green traffic lights. She adjusted her scarf and tightened the jacket around her body. For a few minutes, she had a sense of being followed but every time she turned around to look, she saw only a few business men dressed in suits scuttling across the street like dogs, afraid to get a speck of wet gray puddles of snow on them, or a couple passersby enjoying a bit of the white city scenery.

She entered an apartment, which was just a shabbier addition to an office complex where she went every morning for her job as an assistant to her young boss, Mr. Sakamoto. The door guard appeared from his little office.

"Ms. Isuzu, there's been a package waitin' for ye." He called in a thick Osaka – native accent. He held out his wrinkled hand a small business envelope addressed to Elicia Isuzu. She turned around and brushed snow off her hat, her long straight honey colored hair collected around her shoulders as she received the envelope and thanked him. She took the rattling elevator up to her small room.

Elicia Isuzu hopped into her couch and carefully ripped open the envelope. After skimming it quickly, she sighed as she tossed it into her trashcan nearby. The usual business meeting garbage.

_Two years, _She murmured under her breath, even though the room was empty as it could be. She studied the face that reflected in the mirror next to her. Same shape of face, except leaner. Her features blended in with the flow of her face. The only thing that seemed to have unchanged during the years before was her eyes. Elicia realized… the reflection of the woman wasn't Robin Sena, but Elicia Isuzu. Robin was long gone dead in the collapse.


	3. A Witch and a Dream

**WHR: The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Three- A Witch and a Dream_

"Uh…Nadia?" Sakaki called in a small voice, hovering carefully behind a dark haired girl in black. She seemed to completely ignore every presence at the STN, except for an occasional "yes" or "no", or even a "Good morning" although the way she says it doesn't show any signs of a positive remark.

"Nadi-"

"I heard you." She replied in annoyance without turning, filing away some notebooks and print-outs. After a few seconds, she twirled her chair around to face the waiting fellow hunter behind her. Sakaki eyed around the room for something other than the darkly rimmed pair of dark eyes to set his eyes on. The new Craft user was so deathly pale that her cheeks looked transparent and frail, making her violet eyes stand out more.

"Well….the boss wants you in the meeting room," Sakaki quickly complied to Nadia's impatient-worn face. She slowly stood up and walked smoothly to the meeting room in accordance.

At the end of the long table, Kosaka sat gloomily and looked startled at the presence of the Craft-user, who stood unmoving at the entry way.

"Ah, Miss Nadia, take a sit over there." The small mustached man pointed at the other end. Nadia obeyed without a word.

"You see, there are witched that are far beyond our skills, and technology I should say." Kosaka said in an almost whispery voice.

"Yes sir," Nadia replied, still quizzical about the main point, and what this was all about.

"Some of those witches, unfortunately, are unaware of their powers…and some of them may be our friends," Kosaka continued.

"Yes sir,"

"Why I summoned you here is well…because we just realized you were very capable of hunting down this 'friend' of us. I wouldn't be pleased saying this but…her name is Robin Sena."

_Robin Sena, _Nadia answered to herself at the same time. _Of course_ knew about the famous Robin Sena. Kosaka stroked his small mustache, and went back into his thinking state. Nadia took that as a sign that she was dismissed, and stood up, wearing a tiny, hardly visible grin. "Yes sir," she said in an unfathomable voice and left the room in silence.

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"Ms. Isuzu," A stern female voice echoed throughout the small office. "Ms. Isuzu!"

"Oh, um, sorry," Elicia sat up, knocking over her empty mug and catching it just before it toppled off the desk. She looked up apologetically and adjusted her glasses.

The 22-year-old coworker put her hands at her hips. Uh oh. "What seems to be the matter?" Elicia asked warily.

Julie Rokutanda sighed. Her good-looking features drooped tiredly. "Ms, Isuzu, you can't go dozing off like that again. What was _with _the boss to give you such an important position?" Elicia bowed her head lightly in apologize. This was nearly a weekly routine. "If you keep up like this, our whole company will be sitting out on the streets scratching for food. Got it?" She demanded.

Elicia lowered her eyes to stare at nothing but the floor. "Yes ma'm."

The half-Japanese left a thick heap of files on the neat orderly desk and briskly left the office, closing the door behind her. Elicia heard some laughter erupt from the co-workers outside, and die out as Ms. Rokutanda left the room.

Elicia hadn't exactly been dozing off as usual…she had a dream of some strange sort, a dream so realistic it was painful. She saw a face, which than formed and grew a body like pieces of a puzzle being morphed together into one. Elicia had been sitting there like an immobilized child, watching the dark slender figure lift something of what looked like a small gun. The last thing she saw was a pair of dark impassive eyes, and was thrown back into reality.

This strange "dream" had reminded her of…if it was really….

_Could it really be? Could it really be **him**? _Elicia pondered, growing more and more bemused each time she thought of the possibility. It occurred to her that she haven't been thinking too deeply about _him _lately, and was slowly drifting him out of her head. She gently touched the rim of her glasses.

"Amon," she whispered.


	4. Comforting Lie

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin or any of its characters, but I do own the characters I made up. Sue me, but you won't get any money.

**A/N: **Sorry for such a quick update…too many people have 'threatened' me to write up the next chapter. This is probably the chapter all of you "Amon-lovers" were waiting for, so…enjoy! And don't forget the reviews…it's really the only way I could improve as a better writer.

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_Chapter Four- Comforting Lie_

Elicia walked up to the espresso machine to get the second cup for the morning. Although it's been almost a year and a half of working under Akagai Sakamoto, she couldn't quite fit into the social business environment. It also wasn't an easy position to be the only 18-year old at an adult-appropriate field.

Mr. Sakamoto appeared out of his bigger and more spacious office. His good-looking features resembled a true businessman, with very straight black hair that made him look much too young for a 26 year old C.E.O. He looked around at the faces of his workers, and waved at Elicia who bowed in return. She'd known that the boss had a strange abnormality to him, although she couldn't pick out what. One of the light bulbs went out with a little pop, and the janitor went over to look at it.

"There's going to be some representatives arriving later in the afternoon, so better be prepared for it." He looked around, looking for a particular face. "Especially you, Mr. Suou."

The 30 year old groaned good naturedly. After Sakamoto disappeared back into his office, Suou turned to face Elicia, who was right next to him. "The last time we had visitors, I got my wage cut down. I mean, what I did doesn't worth _that _much cruelty," he grumbled.

Elicia smiled, and seeped more espresso. She pretended to be deeply immersed in her assignment, which was to look for and print out papers the boss needed and organize them into folders. She had the feeling that something was coming, disastrous or not. She had never before felt so sure of herself. _Could the dream possibly have meant something?_ She asked to herself, _No, dreams don't mean anything…_Replied the inner Robin. Nothing's going to happen. _I just had too much espresso for one morning. _

Hours passed on, and the battle between anxiety and the obligation to finish her work was wearing Elicia out. Most of the workers were out for lunch but some remained including Elicia, who hadn't finished their morning duties yet. She remained at her desk and waited for papers to arrive. Then, she felt a very light tap her on the shoulder. It was the boss, who was standing behind her, scratching his head childishly.

"Well, it seems like you haven't eaten anything yet. How 'bout going over to that western food place down the park?" He asked, and Elicia looked up puzzled. It was pretty uncommon for a boss to ask someone out for lunch.

"Oh, that sounds fine," She replied uncertainly. It would be rude to reject him anyway.

The park seemed peaceful and mellow, even though the air was still frigid. Bare trees lined the brick road where Sakamoto and Elicia were walking back to their office. Most of the snow had been melted or was frozen along the parkway, and a few people rushed by with their thick jackets squeezing them like sausage.

"So, where were you living before you came here?" The boss asked good-naturedly, white puffs billowing out as he talked.

Elicia hesitated. Would it be safe to tell him? "I lived in Italy for a very long time. I moved here just three years ago," She decided to protect the truth. After the Zaizen incident, she had learned that valuable lesson. She watched her own breath disappear into the chilly air.

The boss raised his eyebrows, apparently very impressed. "That's pretty good Japanese for a three-year-old immigrant. You see, I've known this folks who's been living here for whole 9 years- let me tell you-"

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"Akagai Sakamoto," A dark man muttered under his breath. He couched lower behind a thick frozen bush. His raven-dark hair and form almost blended in with the bare gray surroundings, so it was very difficult for anyone to spot him there. His impassive eyes widened when he saw the extremely familiar but changed face. "_Robin…_?"

The ominous man furrowed his brows and watched the young girl and the enemy who seemed like a good friend of hers walk away, crossing the busy streets. They disappeared among the passing cars.

"Damn it…" He spat and slowly stood up, stepping into the walkway. His target was Sakamoto, just him alone. With absolutely no one near him. _Robin, I see that you are alive…but why did I have to see you here? With **him?** _He questioned pointlessly into his head and stared solemnly at the tall building the two were headed to. He had no will to pursuit his enemy any longer. He turned around and started the long walk back to where he came from.


	5. Lying Truths

_Chapter Five- Lying Truths_

All Robin had to do for the whole length of the meeting was to stand outside the door and wait while the boss and the visitors took as long as they wanted. She recalled that familiar feeling- the feeling of being left out, the underestimation. Robin couldn't believe how childish she had been, trying to win that trust of Amon's. It was like trying to grasp air bubbles under water while they frizzed away through your fingers. Robin smiled at how foolish she had felt.

_Amon, where ever you are, please be safe, _she telepathed, hoping the message will get across. _I wish I could see you one more time._

An hour has passed, and the boss hasn't summoned her in yet, and he didn't seem to show any signs that he will. The murky heated air was almost suffocating. Robin decided to take advantage of it, and quietly sneaked out of the building.

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Robin enjoyed the sharp intake of the chilled air. She watched people with various ages walk by, from little children to wrinkly grandparents. Up ahead at a newsstand, Robin caught a glimpse of a very tall man with black hair. _Tall with black hair…tall with black hair… _the description floated around her head like a distant memory.

"Amon!" she exclaimed out loud, unable to contain her excitement. But then, there's a lot of tall men with black hair, reality struck her head. Besides, there was absolutely no reason for _him _to be staying in this particular city out of all others. Robin sighed disappointedly and followed the crowd across the street.

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That very man with black hair skimmed the newspaper he was holding. His eyes narrowed as he read the front page, headings in giant bold letters.

"**MURDER SUSPECT STILL AT LARGE"**

Under it, he saw the familiar face of a picture of a rough looking man in this late 30's. There it was, a small scar under his eyes which was only hardly visible to people who knew about it. Hiroshi Kariya.

It was the very man who brutally murdered the two most important in Amon's life. According to the paper, Nagira's body came to be _not _Kariya's crime, but someone else's. His body was found in his law office three days ago. Touko was found in a hotel room, her beautiful face in state of shock. Amon clenched his fist and tried to contain the pulsing fury and feeling of loss. This could _never _be forgiven.

_Would this be happening to Robin as well? _He thought, his eyes contorted with pain. There wouldn't be enough time. He had to act _now._


	6. What Became of the Savior?

**A/N**: Whoa, sorry for the double update. I was so bored this weekend that I just decided to write up my ideas. This was my favorite chapter to write so far cause it's so emotional...I hate to admit, I enjoyed torturing Robinvery muchlol. Thanks! Keep the reviews coming. It's my source of life.

_Chapter Six- What Became of the Savior?_

Robin slowly dragged her heavy feet back to her office. She forgot all about the meeting, and had spent the entire afternoon at the nearby bookstore. She was worried sick about what the boss might say to her...what's the worst thing that could happen? Getting fired? Robin shuddered at the thought. It was a miracle she'd found a steady job.

"Mr. Sakamoto?" Robin called weakly, "I'm so sorry, I completely understand that-" She stammered, standing at the doorway of Boss's office. He was typing something into his computer, so it was unsure if he was mad or not. Robin's message got to him, and the dark-haired man turned with a greeting smile. His handsome face didn't show any signs of punishment. Robin stood startled. "Aren't you…?"

"Ah, welcome back Ms. Isuzu. Don't worry about it. Turned out that we didn't need you there after all," He said smiley eyed. "How 'bout a little walk?" He asked, putting on his jacket. The young boss started out the doorway.

Robin blinked and followed him obediently

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The two walked along the dimly lit park. The sun was beginning to set, so the sky was splattered with orange and purple. Robin remained silent. She was thinking about _him _again for the first time in days. It frightened her that he really was never coming back, that she'd never see him again. Whether he was alive or not. The idea was very hard to bear. Robin almost let out a loud gasp of pain when Sakamoto wheeled her around by the wrist.

"Mr. Sakamoto….?" She stammered warily, confused by such a sudden action. The boss's eyes were narrow and serious. His breath was rough. Then, at a split second of notice, Robin spotted something she'd never noticed before under his left eye…_a scar? From what?_

"Ms. Isuzu, I…" He started, but didn't finish the sentence. Robin suddenly felt a surge of fear as Sakamoto drew her closer, the space between their lips getting smaller. Robin could feel his shaky and warm minty breath, and tried to squarm her way out. The grip was far too strong.

In a slow gradual motion, their lips met. Robin stood there stiffly, her head spinning in slow motion. Sakamoto's eyes were closed, but Robin's eyes were wide with fear and bewilderment. _**Why **is he doing this to me? _She asked weakly, as seconds dreaded on.

It was then when she heard something sharply slice through the undisturbed air. The next thing Robin knew, Sakamoto's body was on the ground, as still everything else in the park. There wasn't any blood.

Robin stood there trembling. Her brilliant emerald eyes became misty as she watched a silhouetted figure standing behind a bush. The figure walked under a street lamp, darkness cascading down to reveal the face.

"Amon," Robin whispered feverishly. The man stood within 20 feet of the girl.

"Are you alright?" He asked dryly, putting away his gun into a shaft inside his long black jacket. He glared down at the face of Robin's boss. Surely enough, there was the scar.

Robin's mind stopped working itself. So he _was _alive. He hasn't changed at all…

"Your boss will be alright. It was just a mild dose of anesthesia. He'll wake-"

"Amon, you came back." Robin cut him off. "Were you watching over me the whole time?"

Amon didn't seem unnerved by the question. "No. Not exactly. I spotted you and your boss just minutes ago, and decided to see what he was up to." He lied. His eyes were almost piercing and cold. They weren't what Robin used to remember.

Robin could tell her old 'friend' had been going through massive stress. There were small dark circles around his very black eyes, and his thin lips wore a small bitter frown. She yearned to hug him and ask what had happened, but her body didn't function right. She began to sob quietly, so Amon wouldn't notice. He might think she was weak.

"I'm just glad you came back." She let the words fly out. Her lips still felt numb where Sakamoto had kissed her. She felt ashamed of herself, letting herself be seen by someone- especially Amon.

He kept quiet for a while. _Robin, I could see you've changed. You aren't as stubborn as you used to be. _"Let's get your boss off the ground. I'll drive you to your apartment." He swung the limp body of Sakamoto onto his shoulder and turned to leave. Robin wiped the tears off her blotchy cheeks, and followed Amon. Darkness swallowed the three.


	7. Hatred for the Soul

**A/N **pish, sorry for the delay…it was really busy this week. Shall not happen again…hopefully. I was so happy I got good responses on my new chapter. Keep the reviews coming….

P.S. check out my new forum dedicated entirely to anime. I think it's pretty cool although nothings in it so far .

**The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Seven- Hatred for the Soul_

The dark scenery sped by in a blur as Robin looked blankly out the window. She was afraid to make a sound.

"Why didn't you use your power?" Amon broke the silence. Robin, staring out the window, now jumped at the question.

"I don't know, I just didn't feel natural anymore." She replied hesitantly. She _didn't _know why. She felt foreign and awkward talking to Amon like this.

"I could see that you haven't been using it for awhile," Amon continued, steering the wheel at a smooth curve. "You better start using it."

Robin blinked and asked "Why?", turning to face the darkly clad ex-hunter. _Was _he an ex-hunter? She wondered and soon shook it away. She could trust Amon with her life. Almost at all costs.

Amon didn't answer. He came to a slow halt in front of Robin's apartment.

"Amon, what about…?"

"I'll take care of your boss." Amon countered briskly, pushing the UNLOCK button. That was what Robin was about to ask for.

"Where are you going to go, then?" She asked again, although Amon it seemed like he was in a great hurry. She tried to save a moment with him, her ex-partner and a fugitive, just like herself.

Amon shifted slightly. "I'm staying at the nearby hotel in this city," He lied for the second time. "You should get along. I have errands to run," He paused, as if deciding something. "I _will _be back."

Robin pursed her lips and nodded. She trundled out of the worn black sports car and glanced longingly one last time at her newly-found partner. Amon briefly nodded back and behind the tinted window and drove away into the lighted city. Robin watched the car until it disappeared along with the many strings of tiny moving lights.

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Amon took out his ringing cell phone and flipped it open. "Yeah?" He answered indifferently. He listened for a while and glanced around.

"No, it was mistaken for a wrong girl." That was the third strike. Amon wasn't afraid of the consequences. He paused and continued. "But I've found Kariya….yeah he's in my car right now." Amon glanced back at the unconscious body of Sakamoto, now identified as the literally two-faced killer. Amon's natural instinct was to kill him without a question right there in the spot, but that'd cause too much trouble. He could feel hatred claw its way up, ready to attack.

"Alright. You'll pick him up from the hospital." Amon concluded and hung up.

He steered his wheels expertly through the entwined streets brightly lit with street lights. He switched his thoughts into something else besides this horrible duty of his, and the pulsing throb on the side of his neck disappeared a little. He touched the rise of skin on his neck, the painful memory flowing back. It was a piece of steel that had fallen off the roof during the Collapse he called it, and it had pierced through his neck. Losing too much blood could kill, he'd heard. _I guess I proved wrong, _he smiled bitterly. The scar was deep enough to require immediate action and instead, Amon had thrown himself against Robin just in time to avoid the falling debris of the walls. Everything else was as blank as untouched snow.

Amon had wondered where that blonde-haired girl had gone. But this wasn't the way he intended to see her again. _It shouldn't have been_, he thought. _If I knew this was going to happen, I never would've come back._

The throbbing came back, and Amon clenched his teeth in frustration and anger.

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A thin ray of sunshine was enough to wake Robin in a quick succession. She bolted up and looked at the alarm clock by her bed. She'd forgottento set the alarm last night. Last night, she'd met Amon. "Uh oh…" She murmured her eyes still heavy. It was 10: 30 A.M.

Robin sluggishly reached for the phone and dialed Julie Rokutanda. The 22-year old co-worker answered almost immediately. "I'm sorry, but please excuse me from my work today, please?" Robin pleaded with the standard phrase, adding an extra "please" at the end.

Julie sounded startled by such a request from the usual morning bird. "Hmmm, strange enough, the boss isn't here either. Were you two….?" She wondered out loud, sounding very skeptical.

Robin sighed heavily and replied in her still-in-progress Japanese, "No, nothing like that. I'm just not feeling well today."

"Alright, Isuzu-san. Just this once. Gosh, if the _boss_ were here, I'd be dead meat." Julie said, exaggerating the word "boss" and still sounding doubted. Robin thanked her gratefully and sank back into her bed.

"Amon," she worded. It felt amazing and strange to finally let his name out, knowing that he was alive, safe, and unchanged- sort of. She closed her eyes and thought of the image of Amon, dressed in black, standing across the body of Mr. Sakamoto. His attire was always black…she couldn't possibly imagine him in any other colors.

The phone went off again in frenzy, echoing through the small and homely room. Robin reached out again from under the covers and brought the receiver to her preoccupied head. "Yes?"

_"Robin," _It was Amon. It really was Amon.


	8. A Child Recalled

**A/N **Merry Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa and e.t.c!

**Disclaimer** Witch Hunter Robin is way out of my reach, but I'd be super happy if I really could own it. I really would.

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**The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Eight- A Child Recalled_

_by_

_Lola_

Nadia was thinking about the future ahead, which was all about the renowned fire huntress, her old classmate, a _witch. What a filth… _she gazed out the newly tinted window, resting her haunting eyes at the green-gray park scenery. _I wonder how she became so…powerful, being so young. _Undeniably, a very small part of her genuinely envied the flame-eyed Robin Sena.

Nadia Safras snapped back into her guarded morbid state as her colleagues appeared for the morning. They seated themselves in their work places.

Karasuma bade her good morning, and Nadia flashed a small smile in return.

Dojima, who Nadia liked the least, mock- yawned and leaned back into her roller chair. "I _finally _had some normal sleep last night, all though I didn't prefer that old couch," She pouted in her singsong voice and glanced at Sakaki, who just stood up to refill his own cup. "I guess a cup of coffee would do the work."

Sakaki ignored her glance and rolled his eyes. "It's not _our _fault that our homes are under some kind of an investigation," He grumbled incoherently.

"Everyone knows it's 'cause of Robin," Michael Lee pointed grimly, "You can't act as if…as if she's gone forever. Same to Amon."

Everyone shifted uneasily in their positions. Ever since the morning that they've found out Robin Sena was alive, there had been a brief moment of relief and joy. But the fact that they really had to hunt her down was more depressing. The hunters since then had refused to bring up the subject in fear that the atmosphere will be ruined. Only Nadia seemed unnerved by the idea.

Dojima looked the worst out of all. She thought of what Karasuma had told her, from the small lecture she'd given her more than two and a half years ago. _Would you be able to bring yourself to hunt her down with your own two hands? _The harsh question floated around her blonde head. _It's seems that I have to, now. But I can't…I won't. This is all because of me…I shouldn't have asked Robin for anything. God, why am I feeling so…guilty? _

She whimpered softly, holding back the guiltiness and fear. Sakaki glanced at her quietly, frowning.

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"Robin, we're leaving this city, _now._" Amon finally replied callously to Robin's continuous questions, as the car entered the freeway. The morning sun beat down innocently through the window, filtering the warmth. But today, it seemed like the beginning of something devastating, an opening to something that'll change everything.

Robin gawked at the sudden statement. How could Amon give her such a short notice? Just this morning she'd stumbled out of her bed to find out that Amon was to pick her up in under ten minutes, and now she was to leave this city. "But why…? My boss, he's going to be--" She stopped hastily. Mr. Sakamoto…she didn't want to recall the embarrassing incident.

"If you knew what kind of shit you were in right now, I would worry about those later." Amon replied harshly. He sighed softly as an apology to his rough statement.

Robin bit the inside of her lip, not out of nervousness but out of sadness. Amon had changed so much. If _only _she knew why…maybe all he told her before he'd shoved her roughly down the well that day was just out of pity, a farewell in hopes that he wouldn't see her again. Of course he couldn't have trusted her…she'd only been 16, hardly recognized as an adult. Maybe she was just a burden, so he thought it was best to just send her away to work as a low-class bike messenger.

Amon _obviously _didn't look so welcoming when they encountered at the park that night, for the first time in two years.

Robin felt a blade-sharp pang of pain drawing closer into deep inside of her chest. The cold ruby amulet inside her jacket felt colder and raw against her skin. Robin had never felt so lonely, even if Amon was right there seated next to her, sharing the same breath. She accidentally let out a small sniffle of anguish tears.

Amon glanced at her sideways. "Robin, I've been wondering where you've been." He said in a little softer tone.

Robin painstakingly swallowed back the tears.

"Amon, am I just a burden to everyone?" She questioned rather coolly as her emerald irises gazed out the window. "All these years, I was foolish enough to not realize it,"

Amon was taken back. Her fragile and melodic voice was strained with years and years of loneliness and hardship as he just realized. _Maybe I am the one who's foolish and stupid, more than anyone else could ever be. _

"You're wrong. People create burden themselves and make pain themselves," he opposed firmly whether the girl was listening or not, as she seemed not to be.

"But Amon, isn't it true that the H.Q had attacked us because of me? I'm the one who's responsible for everything that happened two years ago." She argued back and added, "There's no other reason."

Amon was silent for a moment. For a second Robin thought she'd won the argument, but he continued. "It wasn't a hunt." He said vaguely. "It had absolutely nothing to do with you," he added hotly, causing Robin to jump.

"But--"

"If that's what's you been tormenting about…" The throb came back once again. "If that was, I wouldn't have bothered risking my life to track you down, to come _this._"

Robin stared, her visions blurry and wet. She couldn't find what to say, so frankly, she'd lost the argument.

Amon went on, his voice impassive and sincere. "I may have been trying to go on forgetting everything, but I found that impossible."

The pulsing pain dissolved away.


	9. Mistaken Identity

**A/N **Woo! Merry Christmas, hope you enjoyed it. Here's the ninth chapter...it took me about 4 drafts to finally come up with this, so I really hope it's a good informative chapter. Lots of questions are answered here...hopefully. Keep the reviews coming! Critisisms are welcome unless they're so immature they hurt. Enjoy)

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Eight- Mistaken Identity_

The two did not talk for the next three hours.

Amon's cold dark eyes were fixed permanently on the road ahead, and Robin was contemplating a jumbled mixture of things so she was gazing blankly out the window. There was _one thing _she'd fixedly been wondering about…she'd been seeing the same car more than a few times. It was a typical golden Toyota, but considering that the highway was almost empty, it was a strange thing to see it so often, after passing by a lot of exits.

Robin came back to attention when Amon momentarily came to a halt in front of a roadside inn. She blinked a few times in confusion, but obeyed Amon as he signaled her to get out of the car.

"I guess this is where we're staying for the night?" Robin questioned rather hesitatingly as she lifted her suitcases out of the trunk. Her face immediately flushed with deep red at how embarrassing the question had sounded, but Amon continued toward the entrance without stopping.

"Not unless you're staying in the car, but I'd prefer an inn." He replied apathetically, his long black jacket fluttering in the breeze. Robin could not tell if that was out of humor or not, not that her and her ex-partner ever took anything as a joke.

Robin looked around. Considering that the inn was right next to a usually-active road, it was almost strangely empty so much as deserted. It looked as if it wasn't done being constructed, wielding a plain rusty sign saying "INN". Robin, in her two-and-a-half year history in Japan, had never seen such a building that was so simple and unnoticed yet gave off such a strange, eerie aura. She spotted a couple cars nearby, of which one of them was gold. A golden Toyota.

Robin gasped, almost shocked for a fleeting moment, but recovered herself. She tightly clutched her suitcases, glared briefly at the lonely car, and tailed Amon into the building.

-----------------------------------

Michael walked across the dimly lighted office to refill his cup of coffee. As the dark liquid streamed into his mug, a small part of him, he had to admit, really missed the company of his first and only true friend. He strained a regretting smile as he remembered the nights over coffee and donuts, of chatting about this and that. He blushed at his insolent self when he, without even noticing, brushed Robin off as if he really was annoyed by her when she really was trying to be friends with him. Her soft melodic voice seemed to ring through the cold office.

Michael seated himself back on the usual spot in front of his beloved friend, his computer. He, for the first few weeks, enjoyed being free of his collar, but he found himself back in need for his chair and computer again. Lately, he had found a new way to entertain himself, sneaking into the STN's restricted news archives that no one knew about yet.

"Let's see…this one looks interesting enough," he muttered and clicked on the latest report. This one had just arrived, so there was no way its reached publicity yet.

"Sakamoto…Akagai…" He traced his finger along the name and squinted at the brightness of the screen. "Found dead four days ago,"

Michael took a deep gulp of his coffee, wiped his mouth with the back of his hands, and grinned contentedly. _This is going to be something pretty interesting, for once,_ he thought. "His body was found unharmed at a roadside inn….no signs of violation, intoxication, no nothing," He raised his brows impressed, but as he read on, his jaws slowly began to drop. "…he apparently attended his usual work right after his body was found dead, but he disappeared just this morning…what the…?"

The screen had just turned black, with two words flashing threateningly in bright green.

"DATA DELETED"

------------------------------------

"Don't try to run off, this isn't like your apartment." Amon warned as he handed Robin her room key.

"I won't. Are _you_ staying here too?" She asked, looking at the small rusted key in her palm.

Amon shook his head. "No, I have someone to meet up with, so I'll probably stay in the car for the night."

Robin nodded. She thought it'd be safer to have Amon stay in the same building just in case there were any people in here that she wouldn't want to encounter at all, but she kept it to herself. The two parted ways.

-----------------------------------

Amon glanced at his watch. 8: 46 P.M. He was already 10 minutes late. Kariya supposedly was going to assimilate the life in from another random victim tonight. He could hear his slow rhythmic breath in his empty car, in an empty parking lot, in his empty world.

Amon remembered the last of Touko, a voice message sent days before he even knew he had it; the night Touko had her life absorbed away. He opened his cell phone and retrieved the last thing she'd said before her death.

"_Amon, I'm really not feeling great tonight…so I've been wondering if you could come over. I wonder where Dad is…I guess he'll be home pretty soon. Call me back," _

Amon listened quietly, frowning. Her voice sounded much more herself in real life. He regretted not telling her about Zaizen, afraid to worsen her traumatized mind. It was too late. Painful memories began to haunt him, pictures flashing like a film strip.

Just then, something screamed through the thin air and collided with the window by the passenger's seat, sending a circular ripple through the glass like a rock thrown in calm water. But whatever happened to cut through the glass lodged into Amon's shoulder, sending him to cry out in agony.

Before he even knew what had happened, he began to feel heavy and restrained as if thick syrup was flowing in to his veins and muscles, eating away his nerves and senses.

With one last bit of a struggling effort, Amon was able to find the source standing out the car through his clouding vision.

"_Kariya,"_ Amon breathed and slid deep into a vast darkness.

"It's just a mild dose of anesthesia," He smirked menacingly.

------------------------------------

Robin sat at the edge of her bed, her hair shiny and dripping wet from the shower. She flipped open her maroon cell phone, which she couldn't have been any happier to find in her old burgundy trench coat that had gotten much too small for her. It was a miracle that it survived the collapse, despite being thrown everywhere.

There was a voice message from Julie Rokutanda. _"Ms. Isuzu, where in the world _are_ you? And the boss? I don't care what you two are up to, but the office is in _chaos_. I've been calling you _all day_ if only you'd answer; give me a call when you get a chance."_

Robin listened to other few messages from Julie. "I'm sorry, I…don't think I'm Elicia Isuzu anymore," She whispered melancholically and deleted all the messages.

"_Message deleted." _The perfunctory female voice echoed in the room.

"I don't think _I_ know who I am anymore."


	10. Crimine Due Affrontato

**Disclaimer **_I don't own Witch Hunter Robin._

**A/N **_Sorry for such a delay (hey, I didn't update for2 weeks.;) I was on an awesome vacation at Wisconsin….skiing. I fell a couple times, but hey, I got on the highest hill there! And while staying in the hotel room, I was able to get most of this chapter done, after going through SIX painful rough drafts. SIX! So you better enjoyXD thanks!_

_P.S I'm thinking about extending the length of the chapters cause I think they're too short... or too long? please tell me what you think._

**--------------------------------------------------------**

**Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Ten- Crimine Due-affrontato (Two-Faced Crime)_

Amon's labored breathing wisped into the grimy air smelling thickly of gasoline and freshly applied cement. Even through his heavy, hazy mind and the dusty darkness, Amon could sense a presence nearby.

"Well, Amon. How ironic to find you in a position like that?" Kariya's raspy, labored voice bounced off the cement walls.

Amon tried agonizingly to move his hands only to realize with despair that they were tied together painfully tight behind his back. His dark eyes ignited as they followed the silhouette nearing him from behind stacks of containers.

"I heard that you committed treason on the hunt? No need to worry. We're on the same boat, although I doubt it was for the benefit." The man chuckled, rather sounding as if he was coughing dryly. "Why does it have to be an ordered thing to hunt witches when we _are _ones? We don't have to wait till the SOLOMON tells us what to do, agree?"

"I'm _not… _a witch." Amon growled, although it couldn't be proven, nor did he want to admit.

Kariya laughed hoarsely as if he'd just heard a joke. "Then why not kill that girl? Have you two formed sort of a…alliance? If you aren't going to do it yourself, I have no choice but to do it _my _way. You've served very useful bait, although no one asked."

"Robin!" Amon mouthed inaudibly, froze in shock and bewilderment. All this time he'd been keeping a close eye on all the actions of the SOLOMON, but never occurred to him that they'd be out on the hunt for the girl _again. _Robin might as well been standing out in the open waiting for blood-thirsty predators, with absolutely no knowledge of the situation.

_If only I had come sooner…I've led Robin straight to the H.Q. _Amon agonized silently. _But it might not be too late…not just yet. Kariya had betrayed the H.Q. as well, so there's no way he'll report anything over to the hunters. _

"What are you going to do with Robin?" He breathed rather than actually asked, pressured by his aching ribs.

"No need to worry. You just sit here and relax while I enjoy the fun…" Kariya burst into a strange crackling laughter and raised his hands in front of him. "Ms. Isuzu and I have a work to do."

"Don't you dare," Amon growled, frustrated and enraged by his immobilized body. He knew perfectly well that there was nothing he could do to stop Kariya's calamitous scheme, although he did not admit it. All he could do for now was to hope that somehow, Robin will be able to realize what kind of a hunt she was being lured into.

Amon, with a painful effort, tried to drag his body toward the mirthless man. The effort failed him and instead, he felt a strange feeling of a part of his being dissolving away, leaving an empty hollow sensation somewhere.

He stared in immense shock as once-Kariya stood over him as Amon himself.

A smirk stretched across the identical dark chiseled face, which looked oddly unnatural. The newly made Amon aimed a small black gun at his originator's heaving chest.

"Time for a nap, _Amon._" whispered the imperturbable voice.

The real Amon clenched his fist so tight that he could've sworn his nails dug into his palms through the leather gloves. It was a strange thing to watch himself about to be shot by his identical self, and Amon almost could've thought it funny.

There was a small click of the trigger, and the new Amon placed his gun back into the inner pocket of his black overcoat. He glared briefly at the limp body on the ground and left the scene.

"Don't worry, Robin Sena, Amon is here." He chuckled.

---------------------------------------------

Robin sat on her bed with her knees pulled snuggly up to her chin. She stared thoughtfully at her cell phone, which was lying open on the other side of the bed.

"Should I get rid of it? If I'm a fugitive, it probably won't be a safe thing to keep with me," she wondered out loud.

But then, she herself wasn't a safe person to be with Amon, if he had planned on being a fugitive with her. What if he was risking something? "What if he's risking his…I don't want to think about it."

Robin buried her chestnut head deep into her arms. Things were happening too fast and complicated, making her feel stupid and obsolete. It was as if she was standing on an extremely delicate balance which tipped at the slightest mistake and threw her off into a pile of chaos.

"Maybe I _did _fall already," Robin sighed glumly. She perked up when she heard a knock on the door, which was a rare thing to expect at such late at night.

"Who is this?" She inquired carefully.

"It's Amon," replied the muffled voice out the door.

Robin could swear that her heart skipped a beat. "Amon? Why did you come?"

She knew extremely well from the way she was brought up that this was an extremely rude thing to ask, but this was such a strange occasion that she didn't care at all. Robin walked up to the door and quickly threw on her jacket over her over-sized black T-shirt.

"It looks like Kariya had run off, so the pursuit's extended," Amon explained. "So…I was wondering if you'd want some explanations, since there's really nothing else to do."

_Kariya? Pursuit? _Robin wondered what this was all about, but then, there were moments when she just didn't pay attention to what Amon was telling her. She kept quiet. Still, knowing the fact that Amon never really had "nothing else to do" being so self-sufficient, she wished she could ask some more. Instead, she hesitantly opened the door.

Amon walked in as Robin closed the door behind her back. "Do you want some coffee, Amon?" She offered warily, eyeing the darkly clad man who was looking around the small room.

"No, I'll pass. There have been too many deaths lately," He replied.

"Of whom?" She asked to keep up the conversation. Death was-- used to be-- common in the witch-hunting business.

Amon seemed to hesitate slightly. "Touko and Nagira, they were both murdered by Kariya."

Robin dropped the mug she'd been holding, causing it to collide with the floor with a crash. "…Touko? _Nagira! _They can't be…" She stammered in disbelief.

Amon looked as if he wanted to avoid the conversation. A streak of chilly numbness went up Robin's back, freezing up her tears. After the sensation was gone, her eyes immediately flooded with flowing tears.

"Is that why you've been acting different ever since?" She asked wetly.

To her surprise and shock, Amon pulled Robin by her delicate shoulders and encased her in his deep chest. Her emerald eyes widened in bewilderment.

"I'll never let you be hunted," Amon said in a near-whisper, his voice gentle.

"But why---" Robin began. _Is this really Amon? _It was a strange thing to ask, but this was _too_ much of a change.

Before she could finish, Amon had brought her chin up to his, their lips locking into a kiss. Robin in her wildest possible thoughts could never reach to anything as undreamed of as what was happening now. Robin recalled her first kiss, a forced and unwanted one. She couldn't admit that she'd _wanted _a kiss with Amon, but in some strange ways, it was the same as the first.

_This can't be right, _Robin thought, her eyes still wide and wet. _This shouldn't be happening… _But something distracted her. A scratch under his left eye? The strange thing was, she had never noticed its presence before. It looked older than a few months or days, more like years.

Amon tightened his arms around Robin's waist, making her almost completely immobilized. Robin tried unnoticeably to restrain.

Suddenly it struck her…hadn't she seen, for a fleeting moment, a scar under Mr. Sakamoto's left eye? Robin's body stiffened. _What in the world is going on! Is it possible for two people to have identical scars under their left eye? _Whatever the scar meant, anyone with the scar was _not _Amon. It couldn't be.

Robin broke free from the masquerading lips, causing equally disguised face of Amon to blink in confusion. He let out a bawl as his arm suddenly ignited with a burst of flame.

"Who _are _you?" Robin asked shakily, jumping away from the fire. Her eyes were ready to attack once more.

The man chuckled, despite the flame crawling its way up his elbow. "Amon's in the cellar, _Ms. Isuzu." _The reply came with a horrid, dry voice.

Robin backed away, inching her way closer to the door. She did not care that the man knew her fake name. She didn't care that in fact, the man _was _Mr. Sakamoto. She had to find Amon.


	11. Non ci è fumo con fuoco

**The Beginning of an End**

_Chapter Eleven- Non ci è fumo con fuoco._

_Italian Proverb_- There's no smoke with fire.

* * *

Robin's mind flew like a wild crazed horse as she stood cautiously in the dark, damp-aired place filled with rigid shapes she assumed were stacks of boxes. She took careful steps dodging obstacles while she got used to the pitch-black darkness.

Robin somehow knew that Amon was in danger just by looking at the things that had happened to her up until the point in the room just minutes ago. She just couldn't catch up with it to have time to really analyze what was going on about her.

But why was it that she was so extremely worried like she never had before? Robin felt her amulet heat up under her T-shirt, or rather, it was her face blushing, spreading warmth throughout her entire body. It was true that she felt something she'd never felt before whenever immersing herself into thoughts about Amon…a strange choking sensation in her throat, which couldn't possibly mean anything. _Does it?_

"Amon?" Robin called out quietly, although she doubted it did any good. As much as she was careful about what was ahead, she didn't notice a pipeline right under her nose. Before she had a chance to make a sound, Robin's feet slipped right under her, causing her to fall forward with a dull thud. She thankfully avoided a tower of boxes which might as well have been full of heavy junks. Robin tried to regain her composure, embarrassed to herself. She spun her head around to look for something to grab on to…instead, she found him.

"Amon," Robin breathed. Something about him wasn't right. Robin wasn't sure at all whether she was to be glad or be disbelieved. Amon's head was limply laid to the side, dark strands of his hair fallen on to his rigid face. His arms seemed to be tied behind his back and his chest was as still as Robin's eyes.

"Amon…?" She called out again, almost in desperation to wake him up. Her pendent now felt like a piece of ice handing from her neck. Robin feebly raised her hand to Amon's a stubbly cheek which, to her surprise, still had warmth. _Why is it that he looks so weak? _Robin thought. She didn't know what to do. _Is he…alive? _She questioned, but she couldn't be convinced he was dead, either. Never.

She shifted her hand to his stagnant chest. It felt strong and broad even through layers of fabric, and she could feel the faint poundings of his heart. Robin loosed herself in relief.

She recollected herself, stood up, and flinched as her twisted ankle suddenly gave out pain. "Hold on, Amon." She whispered to the unconscious body on the floor. She, once again, felt a glow of warmth of her pendent.

_------------------------------------------------_

_You are the witch's son, Amon. You _are _a witch. Fact cannot be denied…_

"No!" Amon yelled as his eyes shot open. He was soon taken over by gripping pain on his chest and head, not to mention his now-loosened wrists. It was the voice of his father…or mother? He couldn't tell. He had forgotten them long before he wanted to…but whoever the voice belonged to, it had woken him again.

He ran his hands along the soft fabric he was covered in. How long had it been since he was this comfortable and secure?

Amon's dark eyes traveled around the silent homely room, and landed back on the edge of the bed, and immediately regretted bursting out yelling at his dream, which almost had become a routine. Strands of tangled blonde hair were spread on the bed sheet like a ray of sunlight, blanketing a fragile face. Robin's arms were under her head as a makeshift pillow with her lower body barely supported by a chair.

Amon didn't dare to move a muscle. He carefully eyed her cheeks with what looked like tearstains on them and her delicate face that wore years of loneliness and stress. Amon frowned slightly.

He snapped back into reality as pain struck again. He couldn't believe himself for what he'd just been doing. It was totally out of his morale, and felt as if he was slowly losing himself.

"Was it true that…you felt the same thing, big brother?" Amon muttered and closed his eyes. This time, he fell peacefully back into darkness. This time, he wasn't afraid.


	12. Traitor

_----Chapter Twelve---_

**---Traitor---**

Doujima giggled contentedly while Sakaki slouched over with his hands stuffed smugly into his jacket pockets. He seemed as if this stroll through the park was a complete waste of time, especially when Miho forced him to do so during his intimate quality time with his video games.

He pouted even more as Doujima jabbed him hard on the side with her finger. "What's the big idea?" He huffed in pure annoyance.

"Jeez, Haruto, how could you be so down when you're given the special privilege to spend the whole morning with _me?_" Doujima piped mischievously, and deflated at Sakaki's flat expression.

"Sorry to crush your dreams, I'm doing this 'cause Ms. Karasuma made me. Besides, it's just so that you know what's going on in the outside world besides staring at you _magazines_ all day." Sakaki answered matter-of-factly. "Trust me, if I were to choose between a minute with _you _and an hour with a drunken old lady, I'd---" Sakaki realized that he was the only one talking. _Err….did I go a little too far?_

He turned to apologize. "Hey, I'm sorry---"

Doujima wasn't there. Instead, he heard her giddy singsong voice that rang through the whole silent park. "Hey, Haruto!" He saw her kneeling in front of a crying girl, and motioned him to come over. Haruto couldn't help but want to turn back around and run. Instead, he slowly walked over and let out a sigh.

"What happened?" He asked warily. He did not want to get involved into anything that had to do with Doujima and little kids…definitely _not_ little kids.

Doujima glared briefly up at him, scolding of his un-enthusiasm. "I think she lost her mom, by the looks of it," her expression wore genuine sympathy. She once again had switched her gears to something Sakaki never really understood.

"Err…should we look for her then?" He suggested tentatively, glancing at the girl whose eyes were puffy and nose was red. Besides, this would help some time fly by, since he was not in favor of spending the whole morning with a ditzy Doujima.

Doujima blinked. "Wow, Sakaki, I'm impressed," She giggled in a teasing fit. She stood up with the girl's hand in hers, and skipped like a happy-go-lucky schoolgirl ahead of him. Sakaki wore a small scoffing grin, and started after them.

* * *

Robin woke at the soft rustle of fabric and saw Amon standing on the other side of the bed, tugging his leather gloves on. Robin let out a sigh cause by pain on almost every part of her body as she strained her back to rise.

"The inn-keeper told me that you should be staying in bed for a while with a wound like that," She suggested sheepishly as she brushed strands of hair out of her eyes.

"The bullet only grazed me. Besides, I wouldn't listen to what a stranger says. They don't exactly want to tell you what you want." The older man replied to the wall.

"Really...I don't think you should--" Robin frowned abruptly. "Amon, you were _shot?_" She didn't mind how stupid this sounded even to her ears, but she felt as if an ice cube had slipped down her throat. _Even if it was minor, what if I had come too late? _

Amon checked the ammo of his small black gun, and slipped it into his jacket in a smooth fashion. "Yeah," he answered thinly. "And that man, apparently, tried to kill you, in my knowledge."

Robin plunged into a deep thought. _So, that man _was _Kariya. But then…is there such ability as shape-shifting? _She even wondered if it was just an illusion she had kissed so vividly, if not an effect of thinking about Amon too much lately. But whatever it was, the kiss had been real. Robin couldn't believe herself…this wasn't the time for such daydreaming. She refocused onto the strange happening. "So, this man you're mentioning is Kariya, if I'm guessing right?" She asked. Apparently Amon was hiding something from her, and he wasn't going to keep it that way.

"I suppose so," Amon paused slightly, "what else has he told you?"

"Something about a pursuit and…deaths of Touko and Nagira," Robin recalled. Her voice trembled slightly at the second part. "Amon, it's just a hoax, right?" She asked almost in desperation. Wasn't _he _the one who told her not to listen to strangers? _Wasn't he?_

She noticed that Amon's wide back had turned noticeably rigid. It gave away the answer.

A heavy silence settled in. Amon's back stood like a barrier, blocking himself out from Robin. She deftly stood up and pushed the chair aside, boldly breaking the silence with the scraping noise on the sagging wooden floor. She walked around the bed to face Amon, whose back almost towered above her eye level. She saw that he was concentrated into starting deep into the wall, with the same frozen expression he wore when he appeared in Robin's doorstep with a gun pointed at her chest for the first time. It was a mixture of sadness and fear.

She might not have known what she was thinking, but Robin pulled Amon into her arms by his shoulder. She gently patted his broad back like a mother to her child. _It's alright, Amon. I'll always be here. _She mouthed silently into his chest, since she didn't find the need to say anything. But while she did so, she realized that she wasn't entirely sure herself.

Amon was taken back. He's never been so close to another human being before, and it was so new that his body tensed sharply as if he was electrified. He knew he had to resist, but instead, he slowly closed his eyes and let his guards down in Robin's slender yet suppressing arms that wrapped awkwardly around his torso.

Now, Robin realized what that "thing" she had been feeling was all about; something she believed never truly existed. She also realized, ironically, that she had fallen for it.

* * *

"Well, I think you guys had a little _too_ muchfun, there," Ms. Karasuma pointed out playfully at the two younger colleagues dragging themselves onto their chairs.

Sakaki briefly glared at her. "You have _no _idea." He replied sarcastically.

Doujima leaned against her chair, comfortably propping her legs up on her desk. "Actually, we had to take this little girl to her mother which---"

"Turned out to be a tour around a third of the city," Sakaki answered instead. Ms. Karasuma raised her brows bemusedly, while Doujima limply shrugged one shoulder.

"So, Michael, found anything interesting enough this time?" She asked with total uninterest. The reports now came so seldom, that no one anticipated any craft-related cases now.

Michael pointlessly pressed random keys on his beloved keyboard. "Not really. I'm assuming that the H.Q finally cut off most of the connections with us, since they figured out what's been going on behind their back, with the Orbo and all." He said pitifully. _But why did they even bother to send us another replacement, if they've labeled us traitors? _He'd been thinking this over for a while, but he couldn't come up with a reasonable answer. He sulkily scratched his head.

"No catches on Amon or Robin, either?" Miho asked hopefully, even though the answer would be the same.

The hacker shook his head. "Nope. _If _they're alive, I doubt they're still here in Japan." He thought for a brief moment. "But…I think I have a good idea of where they might be _if _they did leave."

* * *

Nadia leaned against a tree among the bushed in the park. She felt her bare legs scrape against thorns and branches under the long skirt of her dress, but she didn't mind.

It wasn't hard to sneak out with her colleagues noticing. She let out a small menacing laugh. _Why do I even bother to call them colleagues? We have different goals, don't we? _It made her laugh at how clueless they were, slacking out when they could prepare themselves for the end. She still wondered why the H.Q had sent her here for such an easy mission, knowing that she was worth something much more. _Who knows…I might as well be just a decoy. But who cares? Wait until the wolves strike, little rabbits. _

Nadia's extraordinary violet eyes scanned the quiet park pointlessly. Her partner could be anyone out there. She changed her gaze to abruptly face him behind her, breathing loudly.

"I told you, they've left," He said, while his body was nervously supported by a tree.

The younger girl made a face in disgust. "What's wrong, Kariya? Has your power backfired _again? _I liked it better when you were that young Sakamoto guy." She remarked without any fear. She knew for the fact that he couldn't dare to lay a finger on her. She heard a rasping cough of a grunt.

"You better start watching that mouth of yours, Nadia." He replied rather dangerously, keeping a safe distance all the while.

Nadia shrugged one shoulder and crossed her arms across her chest. "Well, what should we do about the Robin girl, then?"

"First, we hit the STN-J," Kariya said, "before they start meddling in our way again. I managed to clear out most files from STN Europe headed for Japan, so they should be at bay for a while."

A grin spread across Nadia's thin lips. "Alright then. I better go and make a schedule with the guys, then." She said breezily. "It's a farewell to the traitors."

_

* * *

_

_A/N Aww sorry for the delay AGAIN! My laptop was taken away by my dad so I was banned from it for a while. Hopefully (again) this won't happen so much. During my little "break" I've been drawing/coloring this beautiful picture of Amon and Robin, and if only I had a working scanner, would post it for you guys to see. Chapter 13 will be on its way. _

_Keep the reviews coming! -Lola_


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